Black Bear killed at Whiffin Spit

A black bear was killed by conservation officers after getting caught in a live trap on McMillan Road in the Whiffin Spit area last weekend.

The bear, a young adult male, had a history with the property, coming back and repeatedly trying to access an electrified chicken run and knock the fence down, said conservation officer Peter Pauwels.

“The bear grew up in that area feasting on the abundant garbage left out by the residents,” he said, adding that as a result, the bear no longer had fear of people and had become habituated.

The bear was euthanized.

Pauwels pointed out that this is one of many bears who have grown up in the area accessing human sources of food, whether its garbage, fruit from fruit trees, compost or their favourite meal, chickens.

None of the bears are candidates for relocation.

“People still are under the mistaken belief that we can simply capture a bear, take it away, and problem solved. It’s not reality, and that won’t happen,” he said, adding that once a bear loses fear of people, it has the potential to become a public threat, leaving no other option but euthanization.